Blog Posts From Antarctic conservation Tagged With new_zealandhttp://www.nhm.ac.uk/natureplus/community/antarctic-conservation/blog
Learn about the work of conservators working in one of the most challenging environments on Earth, in Antarctica, to preserve the huts used by Captain Scott and Shackleton on their journeys towards the South Pole.Fri, 13 Apr 2012 02:19:26 GMTJive SBS 4.5.6.0 (http://jivesoftware.com/products/clearspace/)2012-04-13T02:19:26ZOf What Lies Withinhttp://www.nhm.ac.uk/natureplus/community/antarctic-conservation/blog/2012/04/13/of-what-lies-within
<!-- [DocumentBodyStart:efeb6e63-793c-4a4f-a2ec-8ee93064940e] --><div class="jive-rendered-content"><p id="[object]">Author: Stefan<br/>Date: 10th April 2012<br/>Temperature: -22C<br/>Wind Speed: 15kts<br/>Temp with wind chill: -41C<br/>Sunrise: 9.17am<br/>Sunset: 4.30pm<br/> </p><p id="[object]"><a href="http://www.nhm.ac.uk/natureplus/servlet/JiveServlet/showImage/38-2400-31821/blog+6.jpg"><img alt="blog 6.jpg" class="jive-image-thumbnail jive-image" height="299" id="[object]" onclick="" src="http://www.nhm.ac.uk/natureplus/servlet/JiveServlet/downloadImage/38-2400-31821/450-299/blog+6.jpg" width="450"/></a></p><p id="[object]">Stefan delving into a tin of 100 year old custard. AHT Stefan</p><p id="[object]">&ldquo;The constant draw of the fume cabinet whirred steadily like the idling&#160; of a contented bees nest. Nitrile gloves had enveloped my hands without a snag or curse, and the rare sense of ease filled me with anything but. The air was dense with a dull smell, which only rumoured to the true overwhelming nature of what stench could lie within the heart of the looming rusty monolith before me.&#160; Armed only with a spoon, I approached the vessel in a familiar routine of dining, but dear lord this mass could not be stomached. With the lid tentatively removed, the greenish yellow contents emerged like a bad moon rising&#8230;custard.&#8221;</p><p id="[object]" style="min-height: 8pt; height: 8pt; padding: 0px;">&#160;</p><p id="[object]"><a href="http://www.nhm.ac.uk/natureplus/servlet/JiveServlet/showImage/38-2400-31822/blog+6b.jpg"><img alt="blog 6b.jpg" class="jive-image-thumbnail jive-image" height="299" id="[object]" onclick="" src="http://www.nhm.ac.uk/natureplus/servlet/JiveServlet/downloadImage/38-2400-31822/450-299/blog+6b.jpg" width="450"/></a></p><p id="[object]">Tin samples (left to right) custard, salt, anchovy paste, polishing compound. AHT Stefan</p><p style="min-height: 8pt; height: 8pt; padding: 0px;">&#160;</p><p id="[object]">Emptying&#160; tins is a daily occurrence working with AHT. Depending upon how badly the object is corroded/stained, you get a varying clarity of what you may have to empty and dispose of. The contents are only removed when objects are found to be leaking, and could place other parts of the collection at risk. The majority of the contents are placed in biohazard bags and flown back to New Zealand to be incinerated, yet we always take a small sample to be placed in science freezers, in order that we can research or investigate this material whenever we choose. Anchovy paste (suspected) has been the smelliest sample I&rsquo;ve taken so far, but my team mates assure me that, chocolate and butter are far worse.</p></div><!-- [DocumentBodyEnd:efeb6e63-793c-4a4f-a2ec-8ee93064940e] -->conservationantarcticantarcticaheritagescott_baseconservatorsscott-basenew_zealandartefactscustardchocolatebutteranchovyanchovy_pasteFri, 13 Apr 2012 02:19:26 GMThttp://www.nhm.ac.uk/natureplus/community/antarctic-conservation/blog/2012/04/13/of-what-lies-withinConservators2012-04-13T02:19:26Z2 years, 11 months ago0http://www.nhm.ac.uk/natureplus/community/antarctic-conservation/blog/comment/of-what-lies-withinhttp://www.nhm.ac.uk/natureplus/community/antarctic-conservation/blog/feeds/comments?blogPost=2400